Discussion, some advice, lots of questions and a few answers regarding the art of Marketing Communication - everything from branding to writing flyers
- what it means, how to do it (or NOT do it), examples and trends.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Drops of Blood on the Forehead

"Writing is easy: all you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead..." Gene Fowler.As one who has shed copious gallons of blood writing for clients (and for other purposes) I can attest to the truth of this phrase. So why do we do it? Because after the blood-letting, the words glowing on the page (or screen) are so magical, so beautifully crafted, so amazingly evocative, that clients (and other interested parties) are clamoring to part with vast amount of green stuff for the right to use them. Ha!That's the theory...now for the practice. There is no easy way to create good copy. It is only after years of experience, accumulating knowledge and technique, learning the ropes under the lash of monstrous editors and even more demonic clients, that you learn how to string together a series of letters that will leap off the page and make the chosen reader jump up and shout "Oh my God!" (apologies to Mark Twain).THIS is the reaction you aim for, whether you are writing copy to sell a pencil set or a new fangled incredibly complicated high-tech software system. But this reaction can only be achieved if you remember that at the heart of ANY promotional campaign - product, service, political platform - there lies a basic truth that, to have any hope of being effective, must be conveyed to the target audience:

"Buy this product, get this benefit!"This is the fundamental Rock of Ages for ANY PR, advertising or marketing effort. Forget this basic tenet at your peril. And I don't really care what medium you use: print, TV, or the Internet; web pages, exhibitions or billboards, Facebook or Shmaisbook. Your target audience is going to need an irresistibly compelling reason to part with its money, or change its attitudes, or adopt a particular social or political standpoint.You can dress up communication (no "s" please), in any way you like. Call it Social Networking or New Media or traditional media, old PR or Digital PR, advertising or advertorial, the final objective is the same...And this, my dear readers is where those of us dragged up in the old school of newspaper journalism, advertising copywriting and hard core PR, fighting for every inch of column space, having sacrificed our lifeblood on the alter of creative writing, are better equipped to make the most of the new media - to make that leap across the digital divide (see my earlier blog: http://b2bcom.blogspot.com/2009/05/taking-quantum-leap-across-digital-pr_25.html) and create REAL value for our clients; through creating attention-grabbing, informative, desirable information that results in action - i. e. sales!

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About Me

I am a professional writer, editor and actor, involved in corporate communication strategies, marketing communication and Web 2.0 consultancy. I am originally from South Africa where I worked for international ad and PR agencies, and ran my own PR company. I have been in Israel for more than 23 years where I have done work for some of Israel's largest hi-tech companies.

Now here are some excellent reasons why you should let me handle all your corporate and marketing communication work…

I’m small – so you get personal service, hands-on, dedicated and caring; I care for your reputation as much as I care for mine…and that’s an awful lot.

I’m old – I’ve been in this business a long time and around the block a few times; and I’ve handled all sorts of projects, programs and campaigns. I know what it takes to develop an idea and make it work. I know this business inside out, and I’ll use my vast experience to develop GREAT material for you…material that gives you the recognition – and the creative edge – you deserve.

I’m slow – but I’ve never missed a deadline; I’m thorough, taking my time to make sure that everything I do is absolutely perfect for you – whether it’s a design brief, carefully considered, refined and designed to burst off the page as it should, or whether it’s copy that I write and rewrite and bash about over and over, until it sparkles; or project plans that I check and re-check and rework and fine-tune until they’re perfect.

I don’t follow instructions…because I think out-of-the-box and don’t like to be limited by conventional ideas. Just following orders is boring…but delivering something exciting and different, is challenging and exhilarating and effective – for your target audience and for you,

I’m pedantic – I’m an uncompromising manager: crossing the “t’s” and dotting the “i’s” and ensuring that your project runs like clockwork, down to the very last detail – on time, on brief, on budget.

I’m argumentative…because when I believe in a concept I’ll fight for its right to be born, using all my persuasive skills and experience to prove my point. But, hey, sometimes I don’t succeed and then I’ll let you have your own way – you are the client after all.

I’m annoying – because I want to get into your head and find out what really makes you and your business tick; I ask a lot of dumb questions; I ferret about examining all the nooks and crannies of how your business runs and what your customers want from you: and then I create great material to give it to them.

I speak only one language – that’s the language of Marketing – and it’s mostly in English, the international language of business which I talk good/well/damn good/damn well/pretty good (?…what the hell!) – but I also work with an outstanding team of translators and multi-language marketing writers; so, if you need anything written in a foreign language, German or Japanese, Russian or Brazilian Portuguese, Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi or Icelandic - I can handle that too…

I’m arrogant – because I don’t just take on any old work – I only seek quality clients, with a real appreciation of the value of creativity and the willingness to invest their time, effort and money in making it work, ultimately for their own benefit.

And I’m quite expensive (well, sort of...) – because when I’m well rewarded for excellent work, I’m motivated to continue producing it…for you - but I'll ALWAYS meet your budget and there are NEVER any hidden charges.

...oh, and I’m also a little crazy – but that’s what makes working with me so interesting and exciting: I’m always coming up with crazy ideas – and I have fun making them work.

Good enough reasons? Contact me...

Portfolio

Here are examples of some of the work I've handled in recent years: It covers concepts, project management and writing. This is often difficult to display (and a lot of it is confidential - business plans, strategies etc, so I can't show them publicly), but you'll get the idea... design and art was mostly executed by various design partners under my direction.